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2.1 Public policies/strategies for ICT development
Brazil is the largest ICT market in Latin America, representing more than 45 per
cent of the total investments for the sector in the region. According to Business
Monitor International (BMI), it is projected to grow at a compound annual growth
rate of 12 per cent over the 2008-2013 period, making Brazil one of the best-
performing gobal ICT markets. The total value of spending on ICT products and
services is expected to bounce back in 2010 and should pass US$30 billion in 2011
and US$37 billion by 2013. In 2010, double-digit PC shipment growth is forecast
compared with the previous year, with a recovery in business spending.
The country has a mature market, with expenditures well distributed within the
segments (hardware, software and services). Brazil’s IT market has a singular
regional structure, with most spending accounted by the south east region (60 per
cent). The northeast region accounts for only 8.3 per cent of investments. In
contrast the south is one of the fastest-growing regions.
The free port of Manaus is the dominant city in the northern region. Small and
medium enterprises represent 42 per cent of the private investment in the sector
and the current non-attended demand for hardware and services solutions is
stimulating the development of the market. The domestic consumption of PCs,
printers, digital cameras and mobile phones represents more than 20 per cent of
the Latin American market and has grown at spectacular rates due to an
appreciating exchange rate, declining interest rates and expanding credit supply for
low income strata. It is also important to mention that IT infrastructure investments
following the award of the 2016 Olympic Games to Rio de Janeiro is expected to
drive new spending on ICT systems and solutions. Government spending should
increase to US$23 billion by 2013 as IT is one of the Federal Government’s
strategic sectors in the Growth Acceleration Plan.
Government ICT spending reached US$1 billion between January and July 2009,
(ICT consulting accounted for about half of the expenditures). An expansion of e-
government and government functions has led to an increased data flow, driving
demand for renewal of outdated networks, systems and servers. According to
government targets, the domestic software and services industry should generate
100,000 jobs and an additional US$1 billion in revenues by 2010, and an
agreement to train 10,000 IT programmers in 2009 was signed to help achieve
these goals.
The government also continued to roll out its one-computer-per-student program
(or UCA – Um Computador por Aluno), which received a funding of US$50 million
and has led to a specific call for projects by the National Research Council in 2011.
Public schools are increasingly purchasing low-cost portable computers. However, a
lack of content and even training materials for teachers and school labs was felt
from the start. In January, 2011, the National Research Council (CNPq) published a
call for projects to explore content production and educational methodologies for
the UCA platform, budgeting R$ 5 million for the 2011-2012 period (about US$ 3
million).
Status of ICT Policy Development – Country Report Brazil
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The National Social and Economic Development Bank (BNDES) also offers since
2010 a funding scheme (R$ 650 million or US$ 385 million with a 3 years duration,
mostly for public administration entities) for the adoption of the UCA platform via
acquisition of computers. So far, 32 municipalities have submitted requests to the
Bank, which corresponds to 210,000 computers. In a previous, pilot stage, BNDES
acquired 150,000 computers for distribution in 300 public schools (a R$ 82 millon
or US$ 42 million investment). In the second stage, prefectures can buy the
computeres with total tax exemption. The computer model is the Classmate PC
(Intel). BNDES will subsidy 50% of acquisitions for small municipalities, 30% for
medium sized municipalities and 20% for larger citites. Moreover, Brazil’s mobile
telephony has become the focus of attention as growth remains strong in
comparison to its regional peers. Mobile phone operators should continue to expand
their 3G coverage and invest in new services; concentrating their efforts in major
cities. Telefónica announced in March, 2011, a framework for an investment of US$
15 billion in the next five years. The National Social and Economic Development
Bank (BNDES) has played a pivotal role in transforming this market as seen in the
major funding of a merger operation which led to the consolidation of a Brazilian
player in the market, Oi. Other incumbents such as TIM are growingly aware of the
challenges and the national telecom regulatory agency, ANATEL, is coping with an
increasingly fierce environment as the Federal Government launches a public
broadband initiative that puts increased pressure on private telecom operators.
Competition looks set to increase as additional 3G spectrum is released and the
possibility of MVNOs entering the market increases after new regulation was
published.
The Soccer Games (2014) and the Olympic Games (2016) have been recurrently
indicated as important opportunities for ICT investments as well as SMEs
involvement in reaping the benefits of the touristic boom. Government initiatives
and spending guidelines have favored opensource software, however in 2011 the
discontinuation of a Creative Commons proviso at the Ministry of Culture website,
as well as a new perspective on intellectual property rights have led to fierce debate
among opinion makers and activists in the realm of digital culture. The trend
towards an overall adoption by government agencies of software like Linux is
prevalent and may lead to stronger regulation in the public sphere. Brazil has
around 50 million Internet users, which represents over 25 per cent of the
population. The number of Internet users continues to grow steadily, aided by
government projects aimed at increasing points of access across the country. The
percentage of broadband subscribers, however, represents only five per cent of the
total population. The World Economic Forum ranked Brazil 53rd in the world in its
most recent survey of ‘degree of preparation to participate in and benefit from
information and communications technology’.
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